Something Borrowed – Emily Giffin

05Apr

On the night of her 30th birthday, Rachel allows herself to sleep with the man she has desired all throughout law school. And it was great. Dexter Thatcher is great, the sex was great, and she feels great. That is until she wakes the following morning with a slight hangover and her absolute best friend’s fiancé in her bed. That’s right, folks. Dex is none other than Darcy’s long time boyfriend and recent fiancé. In fact, Rachel was the one who introduced the two. Bitch, right?

Quickly Dex comes up with a cover for both of them and they part ways, each feeling guilty. But only slightly. Thereafter, the story unfolds like you’d expect it to. Rachel and Dex sneak around to see each other and manage to hide it from all, save a select few non-judgmental and almost encouraging friends. All the while, though, Rachel – who prides herself on being on the straight and narrow her whole life- questions her actions, her friendship with Darcy, modern feminist arguments of being complete without a man, whether what she is doing is all that wrong, and if Dex really is “the One” or if she is fooling herself or he’s fooling her. Bitch, right?

Well, wrong. At least the way Emily Giffin tells it.

Emily Giffin does a good – though slightly cliché – job of making her audience align themselves with Rachel. Because she’s US! See, she:

1) Hates her job.

2) Doesn’t have the best body.

3) Always settles when it comes to men.

4) Craves approval.

5) Aside from her most recent transgression, is a great friend. In fact, she’s almost too good.

Which leads us to Darcy, Rachel’s BFF. Giffin does an equally good (read cliche) job of making her audience hate Darcy the way you hate the popular girl in high school (which, incidentally, she was). She:

1) Flirted her way to a top paying gig where all she has to do is plan parties.

2) Has the body of a model.

3) Gets her pick of guys.

4) Doesn’t care what anyone thinks and does what she wants always.

5) Isn’t a good friend.

I mean, who would like her. So, as I’m reading this, I’m hoping Rachel gets the guy and sticks it to her so-called friend. Does that make me a bitch? Not in Giffin’s world.

Obviously this book is not the most intellectually stimulating one ever written. But it’s good for what it is: a light read that you can breeze through and hope they make a movie with your favorite actress playing Rachel and the one you hate playing Darcy. Incidentally:

Anyway, I give this book 4 out of 5 coffees. Even though it was complete fluff, I stayed up late reading it.